BLOGGING THE VIEW: Celebrating Women’s Day in an age of inequality

This Saturday we celebrate Women’s Day in honour of the strength, resilience, and contributions South African women have made in securing gender equality.

Problem is, we’re not there yet. We’re not even as close as we once thought. Even extending one day into a month of celebrating women isn’t enough to bridge that gender divide which, in some countries, is actually getting wider.

Remember South African women

It’s important to note the turning point for our country when it comes to, not only women’s rights, but black women’s rights. 9 August commemorates the 1956 Women’s March when 20 000 women of all races stood united outside the Union Buildings in Pretoria, delivering a petition with over 100 000 signatures against the unjust pass laws that defined apartheid.

In a powerful act of defiance and dignity, they stood in silence for 30 minutes – a protest that reverberates to this day as a symbol of courage and unity. The first official National

Women’s Day was marked in 1995, 50 years after the march.

But while Women’s Day reminds us of how far we’ve come, it also raises the uncomfortable truth: we still have a very long road ahead.

The reality of global gender inequality
Despite ongoing activism and progress, gender inequality remains deeply entrenched, not only in South Africa but across the world. Recent figures reveal that:

· 1 in 10 women globally still live in extreme poverty

· Women still earn 20% less than men globally

· In 51% of countries, at least one law restricts women from doing the same jobs as men

· Every 10 minutes, a woman or girl is killed by someone she knows

· Women make up only 35% of STEM graduates, a number that has barely changed in a decade

· More than 600 million women and girls live near conflict zones

· 119 million girls are out of school

· Only 26 countries have a female head of state; 103 have never had one

· At the current rate, it will take another 300 years to achieve gender equality globally

· A global backlash against women’s rights is gaining momentum, with nearly 1 in 4 countries reporting regression in gender equality efforts as recently as 2024

South Africa’s ongoing struggle

Our women continue to face significant challenges. Among them:

· Gender-based violence is endemic, with women and girls facing abuse, rape, and femicide at alarmingly high rates

· Economic participation is unequal, with women carrying the bulk of unpaid care work, and underrepresentation in leadership roles across business and government

· Access to education, healthcare and economic opportunity remains unequal, particularly in rural and marginalised communities

What needs to change

To truly honour the legacy of 1956, we must shift from words to action. Here are key areas that demand urgent attention:

1. End violence against women: Governments must enact stronger laws, improve data collection, and fund survivor support.

2. Boost economic power: Equal pay legislation, childcare infrastructure, paid parental leave, and investment in care jobs can unlock both economic growth and gender equity.

3. Invest in education: Policies must focus on removing barriers to access, especially in underserved communities.

4. Promote leadership: Quotas, mentorship programmes, and dismantling gender norms are essential to shift representation from tokenism to transformation.

5. Close the digital divide: Women must have access to technology, be protected from online abuse, and be empowered to lead in tech and innovation.

6. End legal discrimination: Laws should be a shield, not a sword. Governments must actively reform discriminatory legal frameworks.

This Saturday should be a celebration of our past, but also a movement that encourages change now, for future generations of women. Because true freedom means leaving no woman behind.

SOURCES:

www.focus2030.org
www.unwomen.org
www.forbes.com

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